Why reading and writing together? Natural literacy development is dependent on the experiences the child has through reading and writing activities. Reading-writing activities are essential to the child's learning to read and write. Reading and writing should occur naturally to construct meaning in everyday situations. (Miller, 1982; Wilson, 1981). Reading and writing are interdependent processes that are essential to each other and mutually beneficial (Holt & Vacca, 1984). As writing improves through daily communicative use, reading is enhanced (Goodman & Goodman, 1983). The relationship between reading and writing is based on communication. Both processes should develop as a natural extension of the child's need to communicate (Wilson, 1981). In other words, if reading and writing are to be communicative then the reader needs to read with the sense of the writer and the writer needs to write with the sense of the reader. A reader need to make sense of what the writer is communicating through the text and the writer need to make sure that his/her message is clear and understood by the reader. Children should make the connection that other children will be reading their writing, so that children will need to have a better sense of the writer and write better with the sense of the reader. Children need to develop their communicative skills by having the opportunities to read and write (Aulls, 1985; Holt & Vacca, 1984; Smith, 1983). Literacy instruction needs to explicitly present the relationship between reading and writing (Goodman & Goodman, 1983; Shanahan, 1988). Children need to view themselves as readers and writers to build knowledge about the forms and functions of the language (Goodman & Goodman, 1983; Mayo, 2000; Miller, 1982). In other words, children need to know the function of reading and writing. Since the skills underlying reading and writing knowledge and processes are similar, then the combination of reading and writing instruction is essential in literacy development. Even though reading and writing involve similar cognitive processes, it has different learning experiences during reading and composing (Brooks, 1988; Heller, 1991; Shanahan, 1988; Tierney & Pearson, 1984; Tierney & Shanahan, 1991). The constructive processes that develop meaning are apparent through the reading and writing connection. “In reading, meaning is build from texts and in composing, meaning is built for text” (Nelson, 1998, p. 279). Therefore, reading is the construction of meaning through relationships of parts from the text and prior knowledge, while writing is relating our prior knowledge and experiences to the text by putting meaning on the page (Wittrock, 1984). When a child reads, he/she makes predictions about the text, he/she is not simply reading for meaning but is focused on the events based his/her interpretation. In other words, the reader makes predictions, constructs meaning, and struggles to understand the text. When a child writes, he/she develops a new text using prior knowledge, imagination and other resources (Brooks, 1988). Thus, all literate persons are readers and writers, constructing meaning from the text in which they read and meaning from the text in which they write (Nelson, 1998).
Why reading and writing together? Natural literacy development is dependent on the experiences the child has through reading and writing activities. Reading-writing activities are essential to the child's learning to read and write. Reading and writing should occur naturally to construct meaning in everyday situations. (Miller, 1982; Wilson, 1981). Reading and writing are interdependent processes that are essential to each other and mutually beneficial (Holt & Vacca, 1984). As writing improves through daily communicative use, reading is enhanced (Goodman & Goodman, 1983). The relationship between reading and writing is based on communication. Both processes should develop as a natural extension of the child's need to communicate (Wilson, 1981). In other words, if reading and writing are to be communicative then the reader needs to read with the sense of the writer and the writer needs to write with the sense of the reader. A reader need to make sense of what the writer is communicating through the text and the writer need to make sure that his/her message is clear and understood by the reader. Children should make the connection that other children will be reading their writing, so that children will need to have a better sense of the writer and write better with the sense of the reader. Children need to develop their communicative skills by having the opportunities to read and write (Aulls, 1985; Holt & Vacca, 1984; Smith, 1983). Literacy instruction needs to explicitly present the relationship between reading and writing (Goodman & Goodman, 1983; Shanahan, 1988). Children need to view themselves as readers and writers to build knowledge about the forms and functions of the language (Goodman & Goodman, 1983; Mayo, 2000; Miller, 1982). In other words, children need to know the function of reading and writing. Since the skills underlying reading and writing knowledge and processes are similar, then the combination of reading and writing instruction is essential in literacy development. Even though reading and writing involve similar cognitive processes, it has different learning experiences during reading and composing (Brooks, 1988; Heller, 1991; Shanahan, 1988; Tierney & Pearson, 1984; Tierney & Shanahan, 1991). The constructive processes that develop meaning are apparent through the reading and writing connection. “In reading, meaning is build from texts and in composing, meaning is built for text” (Nelson, 1998, p. 279). Therefore, reading is the construction of meaning through relationships of parts from the text and prior knowledge, while writing is relating our prior knowledge and experiences to the text by putting meaning on the page (Wittrock, 1984). When a child reads, he/she makes predictions about the text, he/she is not simply reading for meaning but is focused on the events based his/her interpretation. In other words, the reader makes predictions, constructs meaning, and struggles to understand the text. When a child writes, he/she develops a new text using prior knowledge, imagination and other resources (Brooks, 1988). Thus, all literate persons are readers and writers, constructing meaning from the text in which they read and meaning from the text in which they write (Nelson, 1998).